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What’s Your “Why” For Good Health

why 6

What’s your why? Why do you do what you do? All of us have “whys” for things we do in our lives.

Let’s take that to our health and fitness goals.

Why do you want to do it? Or why are you out there every day going after it ?

More energy? Better health? To do something you’ve never done? To build your confidence? To daily activities easier? To be strong and empowered?

If you are like many I talk to, they want to but haven’t nailed down their “why” for getting fit or losing weight.

why 7

I think, it’s a reason many people start, stop, and quit.

I was talking to a young woman the other night. She’s half my age. The conversation started that she didn’t believe I had ever been heavier or not fit. ( my daughter had informed her of that 😛 )

I’ve taken pictures since I started my health journey because it tells a much bigger story than numbers on a scale. I showed them to her.

8 years ago I was a much softer, fluffier version of me. I was also quite a bit heavier. My arms were soft with no muscle definition as were my legs.

I hadn’t looked at the photos in awhile so it was like a rapid fire look through my transition of the past few years.

Change definitely takes time.

Then she asked me..

“So why did you do it? What made you start?”

I have my own “whys” for getting started on my health and fitness journey.

why 4

My check up with my doctor that year was my turning point. It became my “why”.

I knew I was packing pounds I didn’t need, and I knew I wasn’t getting the exercise my body needed.

I also knew my family history and that my mom and grandmother were both obese and had many health problems associated with being to fat. My grandmother had a heart attack at 50. Her and my mom had high blood pressure and diabetes. My mom eventually developed kidney issues, having two transplants and ultimately being on dialysis. My father, although having really no contact with him, I knew he was overweight and had diabetes. He ultimately died of a heart attack.

I was 46 the year of that check up.

Knowing I was still healthy and had the power to change things settled on me.

My “whys” became so I didn’t walk the same paths as family members before me. To be healthy for myself and for my family.

My “why” for starting was fairly simple and uncomplicated.

Lose weight. Stay healthy.

I had no idea the journeys I would go on in the upcoming years.

I guess the rest, is history. I made the choices I did and in that I found activities I love and have become passionate about.

Never, ever would I have thought I’d become a runner. Or a cyclist. Or that I’d be pursuing both at the same time for a race.

I’ve learned to eat more good foods than not. It’s all worked together.

My “whys” turned into, “why not’s”.

why 5

She started telling me her story, one that is familiar to me now as many people have similar ones.

She just wanted to lose weight. She wanted to get back to working out.

So I asked her… “Why? Why do you want to?”

One of her first responses was “well I want to get back to the weight I was in high school”

I told her that was great, but what was so wonderful about that weight? Did she think it would make her happier or more successful? Why did she think that was a reason for getting started? (And for the record, your high school weight was great when you were 17 but it might not be where you need to be today in the body you are in now)

Talking it out for a bit she finally admitted “well I know I was pretty thin and wasn’t taking care of myself like I should”

Maybe that isn’t a good why reason.

We kept talking and she said “well I would like to lose weight because I’ll just feel better about myself, and doing that makes me feel more confident”

Ok, good reasons. Now we were slowing getting somewhere.

She talked about her son and how she wanted to be healthy for him and how she wanted to be able to do things with him. She mentioned how she bought him all these healthy foods and she didn’t focus as much on her own nutrition.

why 3

I asked her why she thought taking care of herself wasn’t a priority. (note… you get no bonus points in life for putting yourself on the back burner)

We continued talking and brainstorming as I listened to her share her story with me.

She finally admitted she needed to consider her health as a priority as much as her sons was.

Now… now we were getting somewhere.

She was getting to her “why” for wanting to do it. More than just a vague acknowledgement of wanting to lose weight.

We all need to come to the point where we can answer our own “why” for wanting to lose weight and get fit. Then we must begin to remove the excuses that keep us from moving forward to our goals.

It might be fun to think of getting to your high school weight or losing 10 lbs before a class reunion but is that going to be enough to get you going?

To keep you going ?

You have to examine it beyond a surface thought of “I just want to lose weight” to a deeper level that will keep you motivated to reaching your goals.

Making your own list of why you want to get healthier and fit is a good way to move towards making it happen.

As you make a list think of how losing weight will help you. How will you feel? What will you be able to do easier that you can’t now? What health needs do you need to address? How will losing weight improve them? How do you feel about yourself right now? Would losing weight help you with a more positive attitude about yourself?

You can apply similar thoughts to getting fit and eating better. Losing weight doesn’t just change our bodies, but it changes how we feel about ourselves and that in turn affects the rest of our lives.

Getting to your own reasons for why you want to lose weight, get fit or stronger and healthier is a key step to actually accomplishing those things in your life.

What was your “why” reason for weight loss and getting in shape?

Veggie Tales

I will admit this publicly. Maybe I shouldn’t. You might be shocked.

But I’m semi-horrified when someone tells me they don’t eat veggies or don’t like them.

I’m like… “What did your mother DO to you??”

Oh, I get it. As parents we do try. I had one son who never really got into the veggie thing even though I fed him assortments of veggies as an infant (even then he wasn’t crazy over them) he has select ones he eats now, but at least he eats them.

As my kids grew up I made sure to present them with all varieties of food. I wanted them to at least try it before pronouncing they didn’t like it. I wasn’t a member of the “clean your plate” club like I grew up in but they did need to sample it.

My Mom used to delight in telling a story how I wanted scrambled eggs for breakfast but then changed my mind and didn’t want to eat them. When I stubbornly refused ( ah I was a bit head strong even then 😉 ) she evidently kept them around….

All. day. long.

They made an appearance at lunch… to which I refused to eat them… they were again brought out later.

Isn’t that child abuse or something ?! I had to take her word for it as I guess the trauma of having to see eggs that were becoming older and older by the moment was somehow blocked from my mind.

It’s a miracle I still eat eggs.

Needless to say, I didn’t grow up being allowed to be a picky eater and I was offered a wide variety of foods. It’s pretty much how my kids have been raised.

So when I’m confronted with the revelation someone doesn’t eat them ( more common than you may know) I’m honestly floored.

Upon deeper probing sometimes that person reveals that the only veggies they may have known come from a can or they would be so steamed/overcooked by mom they turned into mush.

ok… well maybe then I’d be down on veggies too. I’ve been in numerous buffet or banquet lines where the veggies in the pan were loose memories of what they used to be.

But beautiful, colorful, fresh produce?

Crisp green veggies perfectly steamed or better yet, roasted? There is no comparison in how delicious they are.

Roasting veggies has to be by far, my favorite way to cook and eat them.

I can eat my body weight in roasted veggies. You think I’m joking….

Roasting is such a simple quick way to prepare them while not killing off the nutritional value. I usually use some olive oil, lots of cracked pepper and some sea salt. Roast at about 450 and stir occasionally to let them crisp up.

Pure. Heaven.

Ok I’m giving you a cheat sheet for common ones so you have no excuse to not try them 😉

roasted veggie

Ok maybe you like steamed. Some veggies are lovely when steamed till crisp tender. Steaming also helps retain all of the vitamins and minerals present in them.

steaming pic — Some humor for you ’cause well.. it’s how I roll 😉

And to help you out… here’s a short list of steaming, boiling, and for the always handy micro 😉

veggie-cooking-cheat-sheet

And for the record, all of those will roast up quite nicely too.

One of my favorite roasted combos is sweet potatoes and brussel sprouts.

Ok… stop turning up your nose and making gagging noises. I hear you.

Seriously, I’ve turned my kids into brussel sprout eaters by roasting them. If the only memories you have are of Sunday dinner and grandma cooking the life out of them and watching them roll around your plate…well.. leave those memories behind and get in the here and now.

The sweetness of the potatoes blends so wonderfully with the sprouts… yummy. Let them cook long enough to get crispy with the potatoes.

I have some friends who chop up a little bacon and cook them together. Now if you go this route be mindful your also adding additional fat to otherwise healthy veggies…but it is really good 😉

Roasted cauliflower is another favorite. In fact, I have to watch myself ’cause I’ll just nibble at it while I’m finishing dinner then wonder.. “didn’t I make more of this?” haha

It’s another kid favorite too. I’ve now gone to making two heads when I do it to ensure everyone can have what they want. Not only that, leftovers make great additions to my salad lunch the next day.

Ok maybe now I should try and sell you on WHY you should be consuming vast quantities of these.

benefits-of-specific-foods

Keep in mind, this is no where near a comprehensive chart.

Veggies not only fill you up for minimal calories, they deliver incredible health benefits to your body in the way of vitamins and minerals.

They can help protect/prevent many diseases. You can eat wheelbarrow loads of them and not worry about calories.

They do amazing things for your skin, hair, and many offer anti-aging benefits as well as help keep you lean.

A diet high in veggies/fruits also ensures that your internal systems all work regularly and properly.

Eating plenty of veggies also gives you energy and keeps you from that sluggish feeling of to many higher carb foods in a meal.

Listen to me. Just eat your veggies.

Your body wants them. Your health will improve with them. It will help you lose weight. It will help with the appearance of your skin and hair. Oh yeah, and remember me mentioning many have anti-aging properties?

How many reasons do you need to eat them? All you need to do is be willing to be open to try some new things and experiment. If you make a valiant effort with something you don’t like, move on to the next one.

Has it ever made you wonder why there are sooooo many veggies and fruits? It’s because we were made to eat a whole lot of them AND they are amazingly good for us!

veggie tales clip

Do you have favorite veggies? How do you cook them? Share your veggie tales with me 😉

Parades, Small Towns, And County Fairs

So this past weekend we celebrated Labor Day weekend in the good ‘ol U.S. of A. This holiday weekend typically signals the end of summer, the start of fall and school activities, and a general wind down of simple, lazy summer days.

The town I’ve lived and grown up in has its county fair all weekend long and on Saturday the streets are literally closed off for the fair parade. This was the 111th year for all the shenanigans.

The parade, like the fair, has definitely changed a lot over the years, but then so has the town. It’s not so small anymore and some of the small town things have given way to a bigger town growth and ideas.

One thing that remains with the Saturday morning parade is the gathering of families, a relaxed fun morning and an opportunity to run into friends you might not see all the time.

Oh, not to mention hanging out at the local bakery, drinking coffee and indulging in a rare pastry 😉

20160903_093539 — Hey! I’ve got coffee and that’s most important 😉 and don’t miss that I caught a kid in the act of shooting a basket, quite by chance haha

The parade has it’s usual variety of local business advertisements, some actual and real parade floats, bands, dance teams, military representation, and of course a plethora of clowns.

I’ve found over time people fall into two camps with clowns.

They love them… or hate them.

Then you have grown men that speed around on things like this…. this is what scares me… well not really… not anymore as they’ve made them kinda tame down their crazy speed circles they used to do…. right at the crowds…

This is what happens when dads are left unattended on weekends. Their version of a sports car 😉

Ok and you only see a few pictured here… there really are like… thousands of them… in their loud lil cars, doing donuts and stuff…

Of course it’s not really a country parade without… you know….tractors….

Old school tractors.. complete with the farmer….

20160903_104413 — Why yes, that is a life size fake elephant on a little trailer 😛

20160903_105119-1 — Reppin’ old military

It is worth mentioning, we actually roll up the streets like, three times a year, for parades. June is a German heritage celebration, then in December of course it’s a Christmas parade.

I will freely admit the Christmas is my most favorite. Our town is full of white lights and is so beautiful. Every entry in the parade is light covered and there’s just a fun spirit in the air.

Well, wait. Maybe that’s the kettlecorn I’m smelling. And oh my gosh, if you’ve never had it… I’m sorry…. really I am.

It’s this amazing combo of sweet and salty and I always want them to bag it for me right after it’s finished. Truthfully though, it’s always fresh as there’s a line waiting for it.

Some years the weather is the right amount of crisp, cold. Other years, you can wear shorts 😛

Gosh, hard to imagine we’ll be at that parade in a few shorts months…

Ah yes. Small town USA. Even though we’re not so really small anymore, during parades and town celebrations it still has that wonderful vibe.

And no matter what, it’s home, and everything always feels good when you’re home.

The Freedom Of The Sports Bra

Reading. I’m always reading something. I love learning new things but I also like reading stuff that I don’t have to think super deep on. I read a lot on nutrition, fitness and exercise ideas. I take what I find useful, and a lot of times I share it with others whom I think may benefit from it.

Sometimes the fitness stories are meant to be amusing in a relatable way to the reader. Sometimes, they are thought provoking and make you think. Often, they are inspirational and make me realize I can still go beyond where I am now… that there’s always a bigger challenge.

But this story I read the other day was about a form of freedom the author had found and I kinda related to it. I guess I related ’cause it’s starting to get warm here in the vast state of Texas and when it comes to workouts, it doesn’t take long to start cooking up a good sweat .

The story was about how the author found freedom in tossing her shirt and working out in a sports bra and how the world didn’t come to an end when she did and how free and liberated she felt being able to do that. And I mean, c’mon. Now days, there are so many that are cute, colorful, and fun it seems … wrong… to hide them.

I totally love being a woman but I have to admit there are times when I see dudes running down the road on a crazy hot day in nothing but a little pair of shorts and I feel a tiny bit jealous. They look so…free and unconfined… as they plow out miles.

But I understood what the author of the story was saying. There’s a certain level of just being comfy with yourself and not really caring about random people and just being able to do what you want… to get past worrying about someone else and what they may be thinking…like that matters ?

I made the move a long time ago.

When I first started running I ran in cheap stuff from Wal-mart, cotton stuff. Trust me, you’ve never known awesome until you are running in shirt that is soaking wet with sweat and it feels like it weighs 10lbs hanging off you. Never again…….

Then as time went on I got acquainted with dri-wick fabric and that helped a lot. But still, as small and light as I could get those tanks, they were clinging and drippy and overall felt like a poor wet skin hanging off me.

Then one day the thought was… just leave the shirt behind.

That began the dialog in my head…. “what will people think seeing me running down the road?” Do you really care what a random person might think?”

Uh. No.

And all the sudden I’m worried about some strangers and whether or not they can see my stretch marks or if they think my abs are suitable enough to be flaunted running down the road or whatever else random stranger may or may not be thinking.

Honestly, I never really think much about someone I see running other than “hey, go you!” haha and if it happens to be a woman in a sports bra and shorts I really think “go you” cause she’s out there doing it and doesn’t care.

That screams confidence to me.

You know what happened when I made that move? Other than feeling like I didn’t have wet, loose skin hanging off me?

I felt amazingly free. I was so much more aware of my body and how it moved. I was sweaty but now I could feel it on my skin and could feel the air cooling me. I could feel the sun. I started developing an envious athletic tan lines 😉

It was…..

Complete, total freedom.

I felt unbound by that extra layer.

And you know what? No one seemed to care. The world didn’t stop spinning. My abs didn’t seem to be a concern or what they looked like or didn’t look like.

Wow. I didn’t have to have a perfect body to do it… it was just a simple move to toss the shirt.

I hate when it starts getting colder again and I have to layer up. It feels so different to not have the sun, and wind on my skin, I feel weighted down.

Ahhh, but now the warm air of spring has arrived, and for cycling and (soon, running again) the belly is getting some sun and fresh air 😉

Tell me… are you comfy in just a sports bra working out? Have you made the move to do that? Why or why not? (Sorry guys!)

The Weekend Mentality

weekend

Hello Monday! And that’s a wrap on the weekend….

Ahh the weekend. It’s a break from the grind and can give us a reprieve from the usual day in and day out activities… if we’re lucky.

Sometimes we still have all the expected responsibilities that come along with life, but the weekend can often be a time to chill out and do things that we’ve put off during the week or maybe it’s just an opportunity to relax and do a whole lot of nothing…

Either way…. it can often signify a change from our normal routine…

and in that it can also mean, perhaps an attitude, that says it’s the weekend and we let our eating habits slip, or we decide since it’s the weekend we “deserve” to eat whatever.

The weekend mentality……

Hold on…..I’m not saying you can’t have that brownie or a burger out…..

I enjoy a good weekend breakfast with my husband ( wellll a lot of times it can almost be brunch ’cause he’s a good sport and let’s me get my workout in and clean up first;) but by then I really am ready to put the food away.. and I enjoy that breakfast… which will almost hold me till dinner….

I just don’t want you to throw away the hard work you’ve invested in the week by going overboard and eating a lot of stuff that will not help your goals, but also might just make you feel not so great as well.

I guess this kinda goes along with my post I did on cheat days.

I think (personally) a practical daily balance not only keeps us sane and gets us to our goals, but allows us to enjoy life along the way without feeling deprived

Drinks out with a friend? Family birthday celebration? You just want some ice cream? A burger and fries has been wooing you for days?

Factor that in to your weekend, but don’t allow an all or nothing approach. You can enjoy those special things and still keep on track.

Personally, I’ve found that as my body has adjusted more to having healthy food the majority of the time, it’s not so crazy about those foods I used to look forward to indulging in periodically so it kinda keeps me in check.

But I still like chocolate cake… a lot…. so on those celebratory moments… I arm wrestle the kids for it 😉

Just a reminder for you… as you get to the weekends… live life… but don’t go crazy…..

Come Monday… you’ll be happy you’re still on the same forward movement towards success =)

What about you? Do you let weekends be a time to indulge more? Or do you keep on track with your normal eating habits?

My 2015 Year In Review

So we’ve just wrapped up 2015 and are a few days into the brand new year. You don’t have to look far to see magazines featuring stories like:

“The Best Of The Year”, “People Of The Year”, or ” Things That Amazed Us” or some sort of various titles. All of them show casing people or events that highlighted the year… often featuring celebrities or major events.

Then I realized, hey, I’m not famous or anything but I had some really cool stuff happen in 2015. Well, cool stuff and hard stuff but that’s life, right ?

I daresay, if you look back at your year, you could say the same thing. We don’t have to be celebrities to have awesome things happen that are worth sharing or shouting from the roof tops, (nod your head yes 😉

So, humor me if you will, my year in review.

January found me coming out of finishing my second marathon in December dropping my time to 4:52 from my previous (first) marathon the year before I did in 5:23.

225592_179313034_XLarge — Moments after the finish of my second marathon Dec 7, 2014

I had also turned 50 and decided I was going to run a 50K to celebrate that milestone sometime in my 50th year. I committed to it in January with the race date set for March 1. My training continued with my goal focused on the biggest race I had ever considered. My friends called me “crazy” and “insane” … I can’t think of better compliments 😉

20150119_181146-1 — When you make something public… you’re really committed to doing it 😉

Sadly, and unfortunately, the Dallas/Ft Worth area had turned into a slushy, snowy, winter wonderland during race weekend. By Saturday night they had cancelled all races but the half marathon for Sunday morning.

I was beyond devastated. To get to that point… to have invested so much time training… to be so mentally and physically prepared… was crushing.

I cried. I won’t lie. I cried that night. I cried that morning watching them discuss it on the early morning news as I prepared to go run (at least) the half marathon.

I will admit to biting back tears waiting in my corral to start the race (freezing) …my “Ultra Marathon” bib standing out in stark contrast to all the half marathon bibs surrounding me. I remember smiling politely as a guy joked with me that this race would just feel like a “warm up” run for me.

But I didn’t go all that way to run and not do…. something….. it was certainly new territory for me as I had trained in everything I could… except snow and ice…

they had cleared the course as best as they could but the roads were wet and ice patches were everywhere and there were many points of dodging piles of slush. It was misty raining and about 35 degrees. I finished in about 2:19. Not my most impressive time, but I did it. I had never been more cold or emotionally drained than when I finished that race.

20150301_112614-2 — Clutching my hard earned medal in the frozen tundra 😉

I can pretty well say, I don’t think a hot shower had ever felt better afterwards.

Mid-March I had already planned to run a spring half marathon that was close to home for me. So two weeks after my frozen half marathon in Dallas, I was enjoying a romp through the downtown streets of San Antonio… in much warmer weather.

race_1002_photo_15766931 — On course in the last couple miles of the Alamo 13.1 half marathon

After returning home the race committee sent an e-mail that ultra and marathoners who hadn’t been able to race could do a virtual race (within that month) and still get all their runners goodies. I was down for that. So I picked a date and with my husband waiting for me at an appointed time I took off for my own 50K running adventure… on my own training territory.

It was a much nicer day to do it….

IMG_0135-1 — Yes, still standing after finishing my first 50K =)

I will tell you this… I have never been more tired or physically exhausted in my entire life. 31.7 miles can do that to you 😉

But I’d never felt stronger or more empowered in my life. Doing something that is so huge, and so much bigger than you are shapes you into this iron willed creature. It makes you feel like you can take on the world.

Although.. I wondered if I’d be able to crawl into the shower once I came off my “high” haha

Ok… so yeah if you’re counting that’s two half marathons and a 50K Ultra marathon all in March. And I don’t forget my marathon from a few previous months before. Not bad for a girl who started off just walking 2 miles at night a few years before…

April was a bittersweet time for me as I dealt with my Mom being gone for a year. Life is a mixture of all things… and grief is a process that must be worked through. She was so proud of all my running adventures.

20150927_192826 — Christmas 2013. The last with my mom.

In May I was privileged to celebrate another anniversary with this amazing guy….31 years….give the guy a medal for handling me… haha…he admits to not being able to handle me 😉 My cheerleader, friend, supporter, one who has been with me through so much. I love him.

20150301_125118 — This guy. I couldn’t do all the crazy stuff I do without his support and encouragement.

Unfortunately, after lots of training ( nearly 1,000 training miles in 7 months) I picked up a pesky injury that sidelined me off running for awhile… to long… but I’d rather play hard, hit big goals, than sit back not trying.

This is how I felt about that….

20150617_164323 — This shirt… perfectly expresses my feelings….

June brought unexpected difficulties to our lives as my husband was diagnosed with thyroid cancer. We worked and pushed through and tried not to let it define our lives as he went through all the tests, surgery and procedures that had to be done. He was so amazingly strong. We are thanking God that he was able to go back to work and is on the road to a full recovery =)

For my birthday in July, I picked up my second piece of artwork that I positively love….this has such deep meaning to me… courage to stand in life… to remember that life is not only beautiful but comes with pain and to be courageous in the face of it. Life can require me to fight back… to be courageous in battles and difficulties.

The piece that surrounds my wrist says “strength” on the other side that you can’t see. Life has demanded much strength from me in these past few years… it is a life word to me.

20150709_180616 — “Courage” my second piece of artwork. I’m in love with this.

And while we we’re moving through our year, we were also preparing for a wedding. My middle son was getting married in September to a beautiful young woman we love. There were details and arrangements and plans to be attended to.

In the end… they were married…and it was a gorgeous wedding with a stunning couple ( I am NOT biased at all haha)

20150912_191854 — My son and his lovely bride =)

20150912_190702 — Celebrating with hubby

I’d say both families felt successful when it was all over and everyone had a good time. I think I danced most of the night in my 4 inch heels. By midnight, it was time for them to come off 😉

I’m still adjusting to knowing…. I’m a mother in law…. I have a new daughter…. and I have a married son… the ring on his finger constantly reminding me.

And wrapping up the year… another amazing Christmas with my sweet, precious and beautiful family.

And I’m blessed to celebrate 33 Christmas seasons with my partner in crime.

Dan and Cathie Xmas — Another Christmas with my partner in crime

He always makes Christmas so wonderful for me. And yeah, I’m in shorts. It was a pretty warm Christmas day for us in Texas and since I was cooking and living in the kitchen… it was definitely more comfy!

Of course the year was full of other wonderful celebrations and events like birthdays and anniversaries and random fun moments.

There were up’s and down’s in the year. Normal days and days that made my tummy hurt. Days of laughter and days of tears. God was good to us.

I am grateful to have had an amazing family to move through 2015 with who celebrated joys and achievements with me.

Last but not least, I launched this, my blog, at the end of February. It had been a brainchild for awhile and I finally decided to get it out of my head and into the “real world”.

Thank you, all of you, wherever you are for taking the time to read me, support, and comment whether here or in person. It’s my goal in this upcoming year to continue to write with humor and fun but also to encourage, educate and inspire you to be the best “you” that you can be.

Now tell me… what big events are notable from your 2015 year ?

Mary… Did You Know ?

Hey boys and girls =) as I shared with you in a past post even though my blog focuses on health, fitness, and a whole lotta running related stuff, I will take times to delve into other aspects of life and write about whatever is currently on my mind or heart.

It makes for a happier blogger girl to get some of that other stuff outta my head 😉

Christmas is coming. Glorious, beautiful Christmas.

It is my most favorite holiday, hands down. I love the family traditions, special recipes, shopping for gifts, wrapping ( I love making beautiful presents), the music, decorating my home, baking treats and sharing them with others… ahhhh so many delicious things to enjoy =) Yeah, stick around ’cause I plan to do several fun, happy spirited Christmas posts as we move through the month.

One of my favorite Christmas songs for years now has been a song called “Mary Did You Know”. The music part aside, the lyrics have always given me great thought to pause as the song inquires of thoughts from Mary about her son.

Maybe because I’m a mom of three sons it stirs my soul in a deep way. I know the love a mother has for her sons. I know the tender way they can treat me, how they can make me laugh, make me crazy, terrify me, amuse me, and delight me at their own unique personalities.

Of course, my sons aren’t the Son of God.

The song asks Mary if she knew one day her son would rule nations, or heal the blind and deaf or if she knew kissing her baby, she was kissing God’s face.

mary did you know

When I hear those words, I have wondered. Did Mary know those things?

Mary was a normal young woman chosen to deliver the Son of God. I can’t help but think she would’ve had LOTS on her mind, and maybe lots of questions, but I’m still left wondering, did Mary know things about her supernatural son?

I like to think, Jesus growing up, was like a normal little boy. Active, busy, inquiring, into things, maybe making Mary breath a deep sigh of relief when he was (finally) taking a nap.

But could Mary know beyond an earthly sense things about her son ? His destiny? His calling? His purpose?

She had received the unusual visit from an angel who had announced to her that she was chosen to carry God’s Son. I’m pretty sure that would’ve set me on my ear. I wonder if she was given a special peace and understanding as she not only delivered this child but raised and cared for him in daily life…. as he grew up and grew closer to his destiny.

His destiny to die for the sins of mankind. The Lamb of God.

Did Mary fully know ? Could she ?

Yes, the angel had shared some things with her ( as if that wouldn’t blow your mind) but like any of us (cause we’re human) did she grasp it all ? How do you parent the Son of God ?

I wonder… Mary… did you know….

The reasons God chose you ? And ponder why ?

All of the amazing plan God had in store? or could you only see part?

That your son was really different from the other kids in the neighborhood ?

That some day he would miraculously heal the sick, blind and lame ? Stop storms in their tracks ?

That the boy she watched grow into a man would someday die in front of her on a cruel Roman cross ?

Did Mary know her son was also her Savior ?

Did she know at all the suffering she would go through watching her grown son die in front of her?

I think this is what gets me the deepest. That evokes pain my heart.

Wondering if she knew…. wondering how she stood up under that knowledge.

Several years ago, my middle son had a horrible wreck coming home. He flipped his truck several times before it rested towards the bottom of a hill. His friend was thrown from the truck. When a friend called concerned and he hadn’t shown up home, we went driving looking for him.

I will never forget that night. As a parent it was the most horrible, gut wrenching thing I’ve gone through. We came on the accident site and I had no idea at all if my son was ok or not. It was surreal.

The lights from emergency vehicles. The police telling us to stay in our car. My heart pounding out of my chest so loud I could hear and feel it.

My son. My beautiful, funny, strong willed, passionate middle son. I didn’t know how I would stand up to not having him.

After being told he and his friend were alert and transported to the hospital, I felt a little better, but still had no idea the condition he was in.

Arriving at the hospital and finally seeing him, bloodied and hurt, but talking and acting in his strong willed way relieved me. I wept with thankfulness for his life that had been spared ( his friend was ok too)

It’s this taste of personal agony that makes me think whenever I hear this song…that makes me wonder….

I wonder if Mary knew she wouldn’t be able to stop what would unfold.. watching in horror as her son was crucified.

Did she KNOW God’s plan for redemption and somehow rest in that? Knowing that her son would die, but rise to live again ?

She was human. She was a mom. That was her child too. Her beautiful son.

Mary, did you know ?

And what would you share with us about parenting God’s Son ? What tips of peace would you offer us in parenting our own children ? What encouragement would you give to us when we struggle with understanding the plans for our children’s lives ? Or feel the agony and pain of loss ? What would you teach us about the faithfulness of God and his perfect plans ? What joy would you share with us when you were reunited with your Son after the glorious resurrection ?

Mary, did you know when that angel first came to you, all the pain and joy you would experience or the incredible adventure you were about to be involved in ?

Yes. This song causes me to reflect deeply each time I hear it. And well, there’s just a lot we’ll never know. We can ponder, think, and reflect but we won’t ever know so many details ( I’m a woman… I love details! I want details!)

But this I do know, and it’s enough. Mary knew and trusted God. She trusted his plan. She was obedient and offered her life as an offering to be used…

and because of that I do know this… she brought MY Savior into the world who would someday die for me too… and for that… I’m immeasurably thankful.

mary

Mom 101

Moms. If we all share one thing in common, we don’t get into this world without one. If we’re fortunate we grow up with one that we manage to use and abuse, torture, and love and share life with. Ideally, we learn from them in the ways of living life and lurch out into the world as somewhat well behaved, respectful, and productive citizens.

That’s the plan.

I remember years back during a long day that felt really demanding having this thought slam into me at the force of a F5 hurricane…..

“OMG…. I’m the mom now……”

My heart was racing and I broke out into a sweat sinking into a chair as that thought washed over me.

Well, not really, but it was definitely one of those moments. Not that I hadn’t been a “mom” already at that point it just seemed that the light bulb came on.

I was going to be the room mom, project manager for all those lovely school projects, comforter during illnesses and relationship break ups, washer of mounds of clothes, baker and chef, chauffeur, etiquette teacher, counselor & advisor, maid of a neat and clean home for them to inhabit, lunch maker and slicer of apples and crust removal…. or my favorite… I can’t create a major school project out of a few toilet paper rolls the night before it’s due because you “forgot” even though they assigned it months ago 😛 Oh gosh, the list can go on.

We take care of those creatures… meet their needs and hopefully give them stability and a good life.

BUT in the mix of offering yourself up like a sacrifice to these creatures… perhaps they get to comfy with how well we take care of them.

For example, they develop a blind eye to glops of toothpaste in the sink, and learn to skillfully and carefully balance a single piece of trash on the (obviously) overflowing trash can. I’ve watched to see how long a roll of toilet paper could be left to wander around the floor before someone might take the 1.2 seconds to pop it in place ( note… sometimes the empty roll is all that’s left 😉 An empty dishwasher is certainly an invitation to leave them on the counter…

They must believe a magical fairy lives among them providing a clean home for them to live in… 😉

Then I had this thought… maybe… it’s me. Maybe I’m the odd one. No one else seems troubled by all the things I mentioned above. Like… not at all. They move through their days seemingly oblivious to the things that make me twitch.

I did an experiment the other morning. During the night it was obvious one of the dogs had lifted some trash from their bathroom trash can… it was like… right in the walk way to get into the bathroom…. I decided I’d leave it and see if someone would pick it up… or if they would just continue to step over it…I figured if no one got picked it up it would still be there waiting for me 😉

After awhile one son mentioned it and I casually said I was doing an experiment to see if people would continue to walk around it, or actually go ahead and pick it up….

To my surprise, after awhile, I realized it was gone.

There. Is. Hope.

I do know this, that even if my kids aren’t overly worried about housekeeping at this point, they can cook and do laundry, and have a working knowledge of managing their money, they have manners and know how to be respectful and polite. They are funny and kind. They understand the importance of working and investing themselves into it. Yeah,and they really do know how to clean ’cause I’ve seen them get after it before their friends come over haha it always impresses me that they keep those cleaning skills so well hidden 😉

So yeah, it is a rather non-stop, often thankless, hard, never ending job as a mom…. but then when you see your kids turning into adults and realizing that they really are getting it, makes you realize all that work, time and frustration over heaping trash and goopy toothpaste was all worth while .

They make you laugh. They make you cry. They frustrate you to the point of no return and you have had mental images of wrapping your hands around their throat 😉

Have you had those “mom” moments? I don’t want to leave the guys out either. But have you had moments in parenting that you…really…wondered? And yet somehow you’ve managed to get your kids to adulthood and want to celebrate that fact ’cause honestly, at times, you just weren’t sure you were gonna pull it off ?

Random Friday Facts

So it’s the end of the week. I can hear collective sighs of relief from all of you. No matter what we do in our lives there is something about the weekend that is an opportunity to hopefully just chill or do something a little out of the ordinary.

Can I get “preach it sister?” 😉

Anyway, out of the ordinary. I thought I’d just share some random, odd, or maybe weird facts about myself with you to give you a different look at me other than “the crazy blogger chick who loves running, veggies, and coffee” haha

Ok… in no particular order of any relevance or importance…..

I love running but only started as a middle age adult when I was about 46 or so. I have yet to hit my running prime 😉

I was not “athletic” in school but was a band geek and a twirler =)

I have lived in the same small town my entire life ( well, it’s not so small anymore but regardless, I’m still here )

I have been married to the same kind, wonderful, patient, amazing man for 31 years.

I have three sons and three daughters who were adopted, older, out of foster care.

I have 3 grandchildren.

My middle son was married in Sept so I’m a “mother in law” now 😉 Seriously, I love my new daughter.

I have a motorcycle license.

I do not like swimming under water and the idea of diving in head first really weirds me out.

Someday I might want to do a triathlon.

I have two tattoos that I love… and I want more 😉

I have a nose, eyebrow and belly piercing along with 3 sets in my ears.

I’ve never had braces.

I live on 17 acres of beautiful hill country property my mom bought the year I was born.

I’m very social and don’t meet strangers.

There’s nothing I love more than a perfect sunny day and being out in my Mustang convertible with the wind in my hair.

Music… is life. I’m a rock girl pretty through and through but enjoy other genres too. Having young adult kids I get turned on to a lot of new music which is a cool thing.

Dancing. I don’t get to do it nearly enough.

I love to read and wish I made more time for it.

Black and pink… my favorite colors.

Christmas is hands down my favorite holiday to go all out for. Baking, decorating, prettily wrapped packages, you name it, I love doing it.

Baked goods. I grew up on made from scratch goodies and it’s how I bake. I will admit to being a snob and can easily by pass store bought stuff. ( blame my grandmother and my mom 😉

I like driving fast. My youngest son teases me that I’m James Bond. I take that as a major compliment.

As I’ve gotten more fit in the last few years and built muscle, I’ve toyed with the idea of figure competitions. I don’t know if I have the strict discipline it would take to get me there. But who knows ?

I was one of 22 people selected out of over 423 entries for the December 2012 Runners World Body Edition. Most amazing experience….ever. You can read my post on it in my blog entries.

I love high heels with almost anything. At 6’0 I don’t NEED them but does that matter ?? 😉

On that topic, I love fashion and trendy stuff and anything that is distinct, different, unique, and overall non-boring. There is a future blog coming on fun fashion 😉

I adore short and fun dresses.

When it comes to jewelry, I have a major thing for bracelets.

I love to laugh… if you can make me do that… you’re definitely someone I want to be around. If you have a quirky sense of humor, even better.

I don’t take myself to seriously.

As I’ve… matured… I’ve learned to not worry about others and their opinions or if I am who they think I should be. It’s really rather freeing and liberating 😉

I love passionate people with vision and goals.. they inspire me to do more.

Nothing makes me happier than someone telling me that what I do through my health and fitness journey has inspired and motivated them to get started on their own. I wish I could describe how that really makes me feel. Amazing…..

One of my most fav things in the world is Saturday morning breakfast and coffee with my husband..

Gone With The Wind still makes me cry.

I relate to Scarlet … she was strong, passionate, determined, bold and at times a bit of a brat 😉 Uh… I don’t everrrr resemble those traits….

Some day… I might write a book. One must be still for great lengths of time for that to happen… so I don’t know…. 😉

Ok….blah, blah…..

Tell me something about you that’s interesting, fun, or different =) Don’t be shy…

Pumpkin Spice And Everything Nice

October. I’m in denial. I know it’s technically fall, but living in south Texas and continuing to rock shorts and tanks on any given day… it’s hard to get into that warm, cozy “fall” feeling…. leggings, sweaters and boots seem far away…..

Add to that the commercial Christmas bus will be barreling down on us shortly…. but…… let’s address another big hyped thing that occurs with the beginning of Fall and all things cozy….

Yes… pumpkin spice everything.

Of course among all of the orange and spicy offerings it’s not officially Fall till Starbucks launches their Pumpkin Spice Lattes.

Now I’m not a huge fan as I find those drinks to be entirely to sweet and all I think about is the zillions of calories and crazy amounts of sugar they contain…. and really I almost always just prefer my bold, black coffee… and… I don’t wear yoga pants and Uggs 😉

Now I’m not bashing the entire pumpkin thing. Not at all. I happen to like a lot of tasty offerings… my mom made an amazing pumpkin bread and I make pumpkin spice cookies that will make you drool.

There is something about the combo of pumpkin and those spices that feels… homey and comforting and all things relaxed.

Right ? Can I get a raised Pumpkin Spice Latte in salute??

Maybe that’s what it is. After a long summer we’re ready to shift gears into a new change of seasons. We want to embrace crisp cool mornings,bulky sweaters and yes, cute boots. 😉 And what better way than a drink or special food that feels like those things ?

I found a couple items this week in my contribution to all things Fall and wonderful….

Chobani has launched another limited edition flavor in, yes you guessed it, pumpkin spice. I had my first yesterday ( I always buy one of a new flavor incase I hate it and it makes me gag 😉 I love Chobani’s Greek yogurt as I find it lower in sugar and the texture can’t be beat. My favorite “go-to” is the coconut one. But I can easily be swayed away when there’s a new kid on the block.

Ok… I loved it from first taste. It was like… creamy pumpkin pie in a cup. The spices were perfect. As mentioned, I bought one. Today, this is what’s in my ‘fridge 😉

20151002_201414 The other item I found was this….

20151002_201519 I’m thinking warmed with a little cream cheese…. they could be rather delicious 😉

You don’t have to look to far and wide to find there are lots of products being offered up right now if Pumpkin Spice is your big thing….

pumpkin Ohhhh…. maybe the spiced cream cheese for the bagels ?? I’m not sure about the chips though.

What about you ? Do you look forward to Pumpkin Spice season ? Do you have favor things you anticipate ?